What do the stems of plants do? What is the role of the stem of the plant

The stem of the plant has the function of transporting nutrients and water and supporting the leaves, flowers and fruits in a certain space. Some stems also have the functions of photosynthesis, nutrient storage and reproduction.

The stem is the central axis part of the plant body. It is erect or prostrate and has branches on the stem, and the apical growth is carried out by meristems at the apex of the branches. The stem generally differentiates into two parts, short nodes and long internodes.

1. Conduction, the water and inorganic salts absorbed by the root hairs, mainly from the bottom to the top along the stem, but there are also downward flows in plants with weeping branches), and its pathway is the duct or tubular vesicle of the xylem; Organic nutrients made from plant leaves under photosynthesis are transported from top to bottom through the stems via sieves in the phloem.

2. Supporting role. The stem relies on the well-developed mechanical organization inside, bears the full weight and pressure of branches, leaves, flowers and fruits, and also resists the destructive forces caused by natural changes such as wind, rain, snow and hail, so that the skills, leaves, flowers and fruits can be more reasonably spread in the space and carry out their respective physiological functions.

3. Storage. Starch, sugar, fat, and protein can be stored in the stem for plant use, such as sugarcane, lotus root, and potato. In addition, it can also store some metabolic wastes, such as mucus, pine resin, volatile oils, tannins, milk, etc.

The substances stored in the stems can often be extracted for industrial use.

4. In addition, the propagation effect of the stem is also extremely obvious, the use of stems, technology for cuttings, striping, grafting, the use of underground stems for propagation, has been an important measure in afforestation and crop cultivation.

The main function of the stem is to transport the water and inorganic salts absorbed by the roots, as well as the organic matter produced by the leaves, to all parts of the plant body.

Details: The transport of water and inorganic salts is done by the ducts of the stem. Why do water and inorganic salts rise down the ducts?

This is due to the effect of root pressure and transpiration pulling of the leaves. Root pressure is a type of pressure created by the root that causes the solution to enter the catheter and rise along the wall of the catheter. If you cut off the stem of a sunflower or pecan close to the base, you can see that there is liquid flowing out of the wound, which is the result of root pressure.

The transpiration pull of the leaf is the force of the leaf to pull the water upwards when the leaf is constantly transpiring water, so that the water continues to rise along the duct.

The transport of organic matter is done by the sieve tube of the stem. The organic matter produced by the leaves is mainly transported to the various organs of the plant body through the sieve tube of the stem phloem. The organic matter conveyed in the sieve tube must be small in molecule and soluble in water.

Starch, protein, and fat must be broken down into small molecules of glucose, amino acids, glycerol, fatty acids, and other simple organic substances before they can be transduced. If the bark is destroyed on a large scale, the roots of the plant will die due to the lack of sufficient organic nutrients for a long time, which in turn will cause the death of the whole plant.

The stem is the pillar and transport line of the plant, supporting the plant's leaflets, transporting water and nutrients from the roots, as well as organic matter from the leaves. Many plants also store large amounts of water and nutrients in their stems.

The stems of plants have the role of transporting water, minerals, and nutrients, and also have the role of support.

The stem of the plant is the main part that connects the roots and leaves, and it has a variety of important physiological and ecological functions. One of the main functions of the stem is to provide mechanical support for the plant, allowing the plant to maintain a stable posture in natural environments such as wind and rain. In addition, the stem also functions as a transport system for plants, transporting water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves and flowers, while transporting the food produced from the leaves back to the roots.

Stems can also play an important role in photosynthesis, displaying the leaves in their proper position so that they can absorb sunlight to the maximum and photosynthesize. The stems can also undergo vegetative propagation, such as spreading or branching, which helps the plant to reproduce offspring.